A good morning kiss becomes a sweet and tender moment blessing the new day with knowing we are together.
A call from work cut short by pressing duties is still cherished because we made a connection with a few words in the middle of our busy day.
Thinking of each other, remembering the past and celebrating today with cards, gifts and a dinner out becomes a party for two.
Making vows again to start another year is the commitment and promise to love when it is hard, to stay when we want to go, to face the opposition together not apart.
This is our 38th anniversary. Our today. Our celebration. We are deeply grateful to God for the gift of each other. We give thanks for the grace and blessings poured into our lives. It has been a good day!
Father God, Author and Builder of the marriage covenant and bond, we give You thanks! You have given us good gifts in each other and throughout our lives. Yes, there are times when we fail to see the gift and only see the struggle. Forgive us. Open our hearts each day to see Your blessing in the face of our spouse. Teach us to recognize You in each other and let us live together with You in eternity!
Showing posts with label vows. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vows. Show all posts
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Making a Choice
One of the hardest things to tell young people in love is that love is a choice you make daily, not a feeling or emotion you hope will last forever.
When Patrick and I talk to young couples in love, we always tell them about love as a choice.
We often ask those we counsel if they think Jesus felt the sweet tingly feeling of new love when He hung on the cross. They can't imagine that, but we know that He was on the cross because of His great love for us. No, He did not feel gushy mushy kind of feelings for us while He was tortured, but He did love us.
The same holds true for married couples. When we are hurt by our mates, we do not feel tenderhearted or the emotion of love for them. But we can always choose to love despite the hurt. Love can bring us warm tender sweet feelings, but those will not last. I think that is what the wedding vows say. I choose to love you in sickness and health, with riches or in poverty. Whatever comes your way you always have a choice to love. It is not always easy but it is possible.
Our choice to love joins our hearts and our will in an amazing bond. Love truly is the greatest! There is nothing like it! Feelings are made subject to our will when we choose to love. Love does not depend on the other persons' performance, because the choice has been made by the other.
Perfect Love, You are the Giver of the best gift of all: Love. You are the Perfect Love we all seek. Our love falls far short of the perfection You want us to experience, and yet You always love, You always give. Thank You! Open our hearts and our minds to the truth of true love. Guide us to make the right choice, the choice to love like You do!
When Patrick and I talk to young couples in love, we always tell them about love as a choice.
We often ask those we counsel if they think Jesus felt the sweet tingly feeling of new love when He hung on the cross. They can't imagine that, but we know that He was on the cross because of His great love for us. No, He did not feel gushy mushy kind of feelings for us while He was tortured, but He did love us.
The same holds true for married couples. When we are hurt by our mates, we do not feel tenderhearted or the emotion of love for them. But we can always choose to love despite the hurt. Love can bring us warm tender sweet feelings, but those will not last. I think that is what the wedding vows say. I choose to love you in sickness and health, with riches or in poverty. Whatever comes your way you always have a choice to love. It is not always easy but it is possible.
Our choice to love joins our hearts and our will in an amazing bond. Love truly is the greatest! There is nothing like it! Feelings are made subject to our will when we choose to love. Love does not depend on the other persons' performance, because the choice has been made by the other.
Perfect Love, You are the Giver of the best gift of all: Love. You are the Perfect Love we all seek. Our love falls far short of the perfection You want us to experience, and yet You always love, You always give. Thank You! Open our hearts and our minds to the truth of true love. Guide us to make the right choice, the choice to love like You do!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Marriage
37 years ago Patrick and I celebrated our wedding day. Our lives together really started about a year before that. When we met we had no idea that today would be a day of celebrating so much of our lives together. We simply enjoyed being with each other and began to fall in love over deep conversations, and Taco Bell.
We still enjoy deep conversations, but not too much Taco Bell. We have grown to admire each others' strengths, and forgive our weaknesses. We have learned to appreciate our differences. Disappointments and disillusionment have been sprinkled with love making those tough times become teachable moments for each of us as individuals and as a couple. We choose to remember the joys and delights that have lifted us to heights we never would have reached if we had not been committed to each other.
After 37 years we do know some of what it takes to make a marriage work. I admit we have much we do not know. We have yet to face a life threatening illness. We have not had to live with disability in each other or our children. Our lives have not been touched by infidelity or a major breech of trust. We don't need to experience these things to have a good marriage. Our experience has not and probably will never be an example of a perfect marriage, but our desire is to be a living example of Christ and the Church.
When one of us fails the other will sacrifice and forgive. We will work together to see that we each will be all that God has designed us to be. We will be the beacon of light and a tree that gives shade as we live out our vows. today we repeat those vows with the trust that we cannot fulfill them without the help of God. (If you want to read our vows to each other I will post them on my Poetry Impressed blog. You can find it at http://www.poetryimpressed.blogspot.com)
God, our Father, You have made us man and wife. You have blessed us with Your presence in our marriage and I thank You! You continue to help us fight the enemy and the world that would diminish our resolve to love each other through all of our days. Today we look back over the years and see Your blessing and faithfulness. We trust in You to get us through to the end. Draw us closer to the goal. Draw us closer to You! We will always remember that a threefold cord is not quickly broken!
We still enjoy deep conversations, but not too much Taco Bell. We have grown to admire each others' strengths, and forgive our weaknesses. We have learned to appreciate our differences. Disappointments and disillusionment have been sprinkled with love making those tough times become teachable moments for each of us as individuals and as a couple. We choose to remember the joys and delights that have lifted us to heights we never would have reached if we had not been committed to each other.
After 37 years we do know some of what it takes to make a marriage work. I admit we have much we do not know. We have yet to face a life threatening illness. We have not had to live with disability in each other or our children. Our lives have not been touched by infidelity or a major breech of trust. We don't need to experience these things to have a good marriage. Our experience has not and probably will never be an example of a perfect marriage, but our desire is to be a living example of Christ and the Church.
When one of us fails the other will sacrifice and forgive. We will work together to see that we each will be all that God has designed us to be. We will be the beacon of light and a tree that gives shade as we live out our vows. today we repeat those vows with the trust that we cannot fulfill them without the help of God. (If you want to read our vows to each other I will post them on my Poetry Impressed blog. You can find it at http://www.poetryimpressed.blogspot.com)
God, our Father, You have made us man and wife. You have blessed us with Your presence in our marriage and I thank You! You continue to help us fight the enemy and the world that would diminish our resolve to love each other through all of our days. Today we look back over the years and see Your blessing and faithfulness. We trust in You to get us through to the end. Draw us closer to the goal. Draw us closer to You! We will always remember that a threefold cord is not quickly broken!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Keeping Promises
I promise. Those are big words no matter what comes after them. We promise never to do something again, go somewhere, or do a chore. Wedding promises are so important that we celebrate those vows with celebrations fit for a king and queen and then remember them year after year! Promises, little or big are meant to be kept.
It is not easy to keep promises. Many things can stand in our way from following through with what our words have spoken. I find that my promises haunt me. Even if I am late with making good on my word, I do what I can to fulfill it. When I cannot make my promise happen, I need to ask forgiveness and admit my failure. I am becoming more aware of my promises. I am careful to communicate to others, especially children, when saying I will.
We make promises to God, others and ourselves. I know that God forgives. He even gives us everything we need to fulfill our promises to Him. Others may not always be so kind. We may suffer broken relationships when we break our promises to others. Sometimes the vows we make to ourselves become barriers to fulfilling our vows to God and others. Vows should never be spoken lightly but with sincere hearts and counting the cost.
Today I promised to attend my Grandlady, Brooke's', Poetry Play at her class. It was a delight and I am so very glad I kept my promise! I am reminded that Gods' word has said that when we are faithful in little things we will be given more. Being faithful in keeping my little promises will prepare me for being faithful with the big ones!
Faithful and True God, You are the Promise Keeper. Your word is always true and You are faithful to fulfill every promise! I cannot say that I am always faithful, and I do not like it when I fail You. Thank You for showing me the wonderful rewards of faithfulness. Thank You for revealing Yourself in the promises You keep! Guard my mind, heart and mouth when tempted to make promises. change me to be more like You, Lord!
It is not easy to keep promises. Many things can stand in our way from following through with what our words have spoken. I find that my promises haunt me. Even if I am late with making good on my word, I do what I can to fulfill it. When I cannot make my promise happen, I need to ask forgiveness and admit my failure. I am becoming more aware of my promises. I am careful to communicate to others, especially children, when saying I will.
We make promises to God, others and ourselves. I know that God forgives. He even gives us everything we need to fulfill our promises to Him. Others may not always be so kind. We may suffer broken relationships when we break our promises to others. Sometimes the vows we make to ourselves become barriers to fulfilling our vows to God and others. Vows should never be spoken lightly but with sincere hearts and counting the cost.
Today I promised to attend my Grandlady, Brooke's', Poetry Play at her class. It was a delight and I am so very glad I kept my promise! I am reminded that Gods' word has said that when we are faithful in little things we will be given more. Being faithful in keeping my little promises will prepare me for being faithful with the big ones!
Faithful and True God, You are the Promise Keeper. Your word is always true and You are faithful to fulfill every promise! I cannot say that I am always faithful, and I do not like it when I fail You. Thank You for showing me the wonderful rewards of faithfulness. Thank You for revealing Yourself in the promises You keep! Guard my mind, heart and mouth when tempted to make promises. change me to be more like You, Lord!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
It Works!
My husband, Patrick, and I have a tradition of repeating our vows to each other on our anniversary. It works!
There are some years that it has been hard to say the words without clenched teeth, but we have said them anyway. We have found, that saying out loud what we vowed before God, opens up our hearts to fix whatever is broken between us. It is hard to build walls between us when our vows tie us together. Our vows have been a strong bond cementing our commitment to choose and love each other in good times and bad.
Our vows are holy and blessed, powerful prayers of submission to each other. Like the old childs' verse says, "A promise is a promise, and a promise can't be broken."
There are some years that it has been hard to say the words without clenched teeth, but we have said them anyway. We have found, that saying out loud what we vowed before God, opens up our hearts to fix whatever is broken between us. It is hard to build walls between us when our vows tie us together. Our vows have been a strong bond cementing our commitment to choose and love each other in good times and bad.
Our vows are holy and blessed, powerful prayers of submission to each other. Like the old childs' verse says, "A promise is a promise, and a promise can't be broken."
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